once upon a time recapping: into the deep

My fellow OUaTers, I’ve missed you! A big thank you to the lovely TVDM Editor Nicole for covering my recaps when life pulled me into a land without magic. This week on Once Upon a Time, with Jefferson’s hat destroyed, Henry and Aurora’s netherworld connection may be the only way Snow and Emma can get home. In Storybrooke, Charming makes a sacrifice for a chance to see Snow again. In the Enchanted Forest, Cora remains one step ahead of our heroes.

In present day Enchanted Forest, we catch up with Hook as he escapes the beanstalk. Cora catches up with him also, and is none too pleased he is missing the compass. Her plan is to use heart-controlled “zombies” to get it back. Meanwhile, Snow and Emma realize they can use Aurora’s dreams to communicate with Henry, and through him, that master of all things magic: Rumpelstiltskin. When Aurora goes back under, she is unable to learn anything more – especially since the zombies attack mid-dream, and she gets captured. Aurora refuses to bargain with Cora and gets knocked out for her trouble. Our heroes only have until sundown to save her, but Emma won’t give up the compass. Since Snow has been under a sleeping curse before, she offers to go back to get the information they need. However, she requires a sleeping potion, and the poppies they need to make it are hard to find (of course). In the meantime, Hook rouses Aurora and frees her, since what hurts Cora helps him. In the netherworld, Snow is surprised to meet Charming. He tells her what she needs to know but her kiss won’t revive him. Snow wakes up in a panic about Charming, and Mulan is missing with the amulet too. Cora is not pleased to find Hook instead of Aurora, but he offers a gift. Emma and Snow catch up with Mulan, but Aurora appears before the encounter gets too violent. She sings Hook’s praises, explaining how he rescued her and only wants to help. We cut to Cora using Aurora’s heart, stolen by Hook, to spin these lies and get the pirate back into Emma’s good graces, and closer to the compass.

In Storybrooke, Henry connects to Aurora through his dreams and brings Charming and Regina the unfortunate news that Cora plans to visit Storybrooke. The threat of Cora is enough to get Gold on their side. Henry is eager for his chance to be a hero and return to the netherworld. Gold informs him that a supply of the ink used in the magic quill that defeated him remains in his old cell, and should be enough to stop Cora. Unfortunately Henry is unable to get this across before Aurora disappears, and his encounter with the netherworld leaves him badly burned. Neither Regina nor Charming are willing to send him back to try again. With Aurora gone, Charming believes Snow will be there in the netherworld to meet him, and offers to undergo a sleeping curse to reach her. The only catch is he may never wake up (though he believes Snow’s kiss will revive him) and that as first-time curse sufferer, he will have to navigate the netherworld to find the burning room himself. As Regina prepares the curse, Henry remarks he is proud she’s using her magic for good, and they share a moment. Charming goes under, and finds the burning room, but breaks the amulet in the process. He tells Snow what she needs to know but her kiss won’t revive him. Henry frets over the still-sleeping Charming, but the outcome doesn’t look good.

Next week, mid-season finale!

Thoughts/Theories
• Point of interest: Philip may not be dead (yay!). According to Cora, the wraith merely transported his soul to another realm.
• Just when we thought Hook was a rogue with a heart of gold, he turns out to be a rogue that steals hearts. I still love him though.
• I am really into Regina’s redemption arc. Her drive to prove herself to Henry just kills me. Love when they have those mother/son moments.

Nicole N. decided to justify the countless hours she spends watching television by writing about it here. She is currently indulging her addiction to medical dramas by rewatching all of Grey’s Anatomy. Follow her on twitter @nicolemnelson and check out her tumblr.